The rise of the Vermont Progressive Party, which has six members in the 150-member Vermont House, is another indication that Vermont, which has battled back everything from Wal-Mart to urban sprawl to billboards, may be one of the few sane states left in the nation. And the political lessons are important. If progressives want to regain political influence, we have to, like these Vermonters, think local. The corporations, through their network of oily lobbyists and infusions of cash, have a lock on most of the huge national and state offices, including, sadly, the seats in the Vermont state Senate. But Vermont now has the nation’s only independent, socialist senator, Bernie Sanders. Sanders got there by showing Vermonters that a progressive mayor could efficiently run the city of Burlington.

Sanders isn't getting the respect from the Democratic Party he should be getting.

What is really depressing is that they give LIEberman more respect via committee chairmanships and such.

Couldn't agree with you more!

How I would love to see more Democratic Democrats. As Paul Wellstone called himself, a small d Democrat.

Small d Democrats work for the welfare of the people rather than $$$. What was it, 14 years Kennedy tried to raise the minimum wage? Wouldn't it be great to have a country that cared about the welfare of it's people, not catered to the whims of it's uberwealthy?